Solon seeks House probe on Cebu Pacific mishap

CEBU, Philippines - A Davao lawmaker wants Congress to probe the recent runway mishap at the Davao International Airport involving a Cebu Pacific aircraft.

Davao City Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano has filed House Resolution 3056, which seeks a congressional inquiry into the runway incident, something the lawmaker said had a lot of “disturbing effects” on air travel safety and trade and commerce.

“This inquiry should review the existing aviation safety rules and regulations and emergency preparedness and response of Cebu Pacific Airlines in particular, the Davao International Airport and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP),” Garcia-Albano said.

But the legislator, knowing that Congress is set to adjourn, assured that she would refile her measure in July when the 16th Congress opens.

Cebu Pacific Flight 5J-971, an Airbus A-320 plane from Manila bound for Davao City, had just touched down at the Davao International Airport at about 7:05 p.m. last Sunday, when it veered off the centerline of the runway and nose-dived into a ditch.

Garcia-Albano said the emergency response system of the airport and airline personnel, the plane crew, and ground staff when the passengers were already on the ground “were just not at par with what were expected.”

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said around P250 million was lost in local businesses due to the incident, which disrupted flight schedules and stranded thousands of passengers.

Duterte said they will file administrative charges against the management and employees of the Davao International Airport.

The CAAP said initial findings point out pilot error as the likely cause of the plane mishap.

“There is a saying that evidence does not lie. We have now evidence that points to possible human factor. In other words, [it] may be pilot error,” CAAP Deputy Director General John Andrews said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

He said these findings will be confirmed later on when the plane’s flight data recorder is sent to Singapore for investigation.—Philstar.com/FPL (FREEMAN)